EXCLUSIVE: Meta allows RMG advertising in India with legal compliance certificates

Meta has updated its advertising policy for online gambling and gaming businesses, including those operating in India. Under the new guidelines announced Thursday, real money gaming (RMG) advertisers must now obtain Meta's written permission to run ads, and such ads cannot be targeted to individuals under the age of 18.

According to the policy, Meta defines online gambling and gaming as any product or service where anything of monetary value is included as part of a method of entry and prize. Ads that promote online gambling and gaming are only allowed with our prior written permission. Authorised advertisers must follow all applicable laws and include targeting criteria consistent with Meta's targeting requirements.

As per the Meta guidelines advertisers which require written permissions include, all forms of online gambling. Some common types of gambling include betting, lotteries, raffles, casino games, fantasy sports, bingo, poker, skill game tournaments and sweepstakes.

"Games where anything of monetary value is included as part of a method of entry and anything of monetary value is included as part of the prize, including but not limited to cash or digital currencies such as Bitcoin. This includes games that require purchases to continue gameplay or provide an advantage in winning prizes in cases where the prize is of monetary value."

Guidelines for written permissions further state, that Ads with destination (landing) pages that contain promotions for online gambling or games, even if there is no opportunity to gamble or game directly on that page, such as aggregator or affiliate sites."

"Ads that promote online gambling and gaming are only allowed with our prior written permission," Meta stated in the updated guidelines. "Authorized advertisers must comply with all applicable laws and use targeting criteria in line with Meta’s standards."

To receive permission, advertisers must submit a formal request to Meta, providing documentation that the gambling activity is licensed or legally permissible in the regions they aim to target. Meta also requires that ads with destination pages promoting gambling content—whether or not direct play is offered—must follow the same rules.

In a significant development for Indian gaming companies, the All India Gaming Federation (AIGF) announced that Meta will now accept AIGF-issued certificates as valid proof for legal and skill-based classification of games.

“After nearly two years of sustained efforts and continuous engagement with Meta, we are pleased to inform you of a significant policy update,” AIGF stated in a memo to its members. “Meta has announced a change in its Real Money Gaming (RMG) authorization process for advertisers targeting India.”

Going forward, advertisers can submit either a court order confirming the game as one of skill or a certificate from AIGF or other recognized federations to gain advertising approval.

“This marks a major step forward in streamlining the ad approval process for RMG operators in India,” the federation added, noting that a more detailed operational process will be released in the coming weeks.

The move is expected to bring greater transparency and compliance ease to India’s rapidly growing online gaming industry while ensuring responsible ad targeting practices on Meta’s platforms.